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elevators 


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The 

Travelers Insurance Company 

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 
































































NOTES ON THE 

EQUIPMENT AND OPERATION 

OF 

ELEVATORS 


The 

Travelers Insurance Company 

U 

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 


7270 . 6 - 13 -’ 13 . 


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Copyright 1913 by 

THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 
Hartford, Connecticut 




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©CI.A353525 


PREFACE 

There are few who realize what a large field for 
study there is in elevator engineering. The general 
feeling, without doubt, is that in making an inspection 
there is nothing to do but to look for flaws and evidences 
of weakness, in the cables and other parts that are 
subject to stress. 

Although the following pages merely touch upon 
the salient points they nevertheless show how erroneous 
such a view is, and how broad, varied, interesting, and 
extremely important the subject becomes, when it is 
rightly pursued. The Engineering and Inspection 
Division of The Travelers Insurance Company has 
followed the development of elevator engineering for 
many years, and has, in fact, been an active factor, 
itself, in the progress toward better and safer mechan¬ 
isms and methods. 

It is the purpose of this pamphlet to briefly outline 
the principal requirements which make for safety in 
the daily use of the elevator, to point out certain features 
that have been shown to be sources of trouble by the 


4 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


experience of many years, and to illustrate what is 
being done in the way of introducing improved methods 
and appliances. We trust that it may be serviceable 
to those who have to deal with elevators in any way, 
and that it may stimulate interest in the work of acci¬ 
dent prevention as related to elevator transportation. 

We acknowledge, with sincere thanks, the courtesy 
extended to us by the owners of the various installations 
that are illustrated in these pages, in permitting us to 
make the photographs, and to use them for the benefit 
of others. 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 

Hartford, Connecticut. 


Notes on the Equipment and 
Operation of Elevators 


INTRODUCTORY: The present-day problem 
of the vertical transportation of passengers and freight, 
which has arisen as a consequence of the congestion of 
industrial, mercantile, and social activities about 
certain centers or foci, is not only very important, but 
also, in many ways, very difficult. The growing 
tendency toward the construction of high buildings 
for factories, as well as for hotels and offices, makes the 
adoption of some form of mechanical lifting apparatus 
a necessity,—whereas in the past such devices have 
been luxuries, for the most part. The elevator has 
proved itself to be an effective appliance, and its im¬ 
portance is so great that it may now be said to be the 
determining factor in modern building construction. 
That is, it is the practicability of proper elevator 
service that limits the size of the building,—and particu¬ 
larly its height. As the rapid skyward growth continues, 
the importance of the elevator in comparison with other 



6 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


features of the building equipment will become even 
more marked. 

Many thousands of persons use elevators every day, 
and they have a right to assume that all necessary 
provisions have been made for ensuring safety Under 
proper conditions an elevator is safe and reliable for 
the transfer of freight or passengers, and it does its 
work with despatch and smoothness. Serious acci¬ 
dents are frequent, however. Some of them result 
from the breakage of defective parts, some from poor 
or inadequate equipment, some from negligence in the 
supervision and operation, and some from carelessness 
on the part of those who ride or who handle the materials 
that are transported. The greater part of these acci¬ 
dents may be avoided by the exercise of a reasonable 
amount of care by the builders, the owners, and the 
public. At the present time those who own and operate 
elevators, and those who use them, show a noticeable 
lack of attention to the things that tend to ensure 
safety. We therefore wish to emphasize the fact that 
the force of gravity, unlike the individuals who are 
so often lax and indifferent, is ever alert and vigilant, 
and that it never fails to bring any unsupported object 
back to earth promptly and positively. 

Once installed, an elevator becomes a fixed feature 
of the building, and remains in service for a long term 
of years,—usually until the building itself is removed. 
If it is deficient in the essentials for satisfactory service, 


PASSENGER CARS 


7 


it will nevertheless be continued in use, as a rule, for 
a considerable time,—a source of danger, inconvenience, 
and expense. When a poorly arranged installation has 
to be considered, much can be accomplished by elimi¬ 
nating its hazardous features and improving the existing 
appliances; but obviously it is far more satisfactory 
and economical to provide suitable structural parts 
when new equipment is being arranged for, and we 
would strongly urge that owners and architects give 
careful attention to the subject of security and safety, 
before installing the elevators. It is only by avoiding 
the defects that have proved disastrous in the past 
that the elevator equipment of the future can be ulti¬ 
mately perfected; and in this connection we wish to 
state that the adoption of high-grade machinery and 
shaftway construction is advisable from every point of 
view. It is of course safer, and it will also result in a 
saving, ultimately, because of the reduced cost of main¬ 
tenance and repairs. 

In the following outline we have indicated the 
general requirements of elevator equipment and 
service, so far as they relate to mechanical features. 

PASSENGER CARS 

ENCLOSURE: Passenger car enclosures should 
be substantially constructed, preferably of fireproof 
material, and they should be designed so as to effectively 
confine the materials or the persons that are being 


8 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 1. — The Most Approved Form of Car Enclosure. 

(The solid paneling extends upward from the floor to a height of six 
feet; suitable provision is made for ventilation; the roof of the car is 
made of sheet metal, and is flat; cork tiling is used to cover the floor; 
good artificial illumination is afforded by frosted incandescent bulbs; 
there is a non-slip surface on the floor of the building at the entrance 
to the shaftway; and there is an effective indicator panel on the 
shaftway enclosure, by the side of the door.) 


















PASSENGER CARS 


9 


transported. Hard wood may be used for the floors 
and the panel work, but mirrors or similar ornaments 
of glass should never be permitted. The most desir¬ 
able construction for the car enclosure has solid panels 
to a height of six feet or more, with open grille or screen 
work above, to provide for ventilation. Fig. 1 illus¬ 
trates a design of this type which is rigid without being 
unnecessarily heavy, and which meets all reasonable 
requirements for decorative finish as well as for 
mechanical construction. 

It is highly desirable to have a collapsible gate on 
the car, in addition to the doors at landings,—par¬ 
ticularly where cars are crowded and are run at high 
speed. Collapsible gates of this kind are required by 
ordinance in some cities. 

The roof of the car should be made so that it will 
protect the passengers against falling material, and so 
that it will also provide a safe footing for the engineer 
when he is standing upon it to make adjustments or 
repairs, to examine the cables, or to do the necessary 
oiling. A section of the roof should be hinged so that 
it can be lifted upward, to form an emergency exit; or a 
door can be provided for this purpose in the side of the 
car, when two or more cars run side by side in the same 
shaftway. 

On account of the open spaces common to grille- 
work cars, and to other forms of metal enclosures that 
have been extensively used in the past and which are 


10 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 2. — Showing the Application of Wire Screens to Cars or 
Shaftway Enclosures. 


(The screens are attached to metal frames of suitable dimensions, at 
the shop, and they are afterward fastened in place by screws. The 
screens are durable when properly made up and secured in this 
manner, and they do not detract from the appearance of the iron 
work.) v , 

































PASSENGER CARS 


11 


still in favor with some builders, it is frequently import¬ 
ant to apply wire screens in order to confine the hands 
and arms of passengers within safe limits, and prevent 
contact with counterweights or shaft way girders. Fig. 2 
shows how this can be best accomplished. The 
screens are here set in metal frames, instead of being 
attached directly, and the frames are then securely 
fastened to the car. 

A separate compartment, for the transportation 
of freight, should never be provided, either above or 
below the passenger cage. 

The car should have but one entrance, more than 
that introducing unnecessary hazard. 

FLOOR: The platform should be floored with a 
material that will prevent slipping, and that will be 
sufficiently durable to resist wear for a reasonable 
period. The flooring should be properly laid, so as 
to give an even and continuous surface, and offer no 
chance for passengers to trip or stumble. Cork and 
rubber tiling, or heavy rubber mats made in one piece, 
are the coverings most commonly used for the car 
platforms. A wooden floor is satisfactory if it is kept 
in good condition, but it is apt to wear rapidly at the 
entrance. No smoqth metal plates should be permitted 
at the entrance, nor elsewhere on the floor; and all 
floor tracks, for guiding the gates or for other purposes, 
should be set flush with the floor. 


12 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


CONTROL: The location and arrangement of 
the controlling device in relation to the shaftway doors 
have much to do with the safety and convenience of 
operation. It should never be necessary for the opera¬ 
tor to release his grip on the controller, in order to 
manipulate the door lock. When a lever is employed, 
the movements of the operator will be simplified if the 
lever is located on the front side of the car, and arranged 
to swing parallel with the doors. The lever should be 
protected by a shield, to prevent the accidental starting 
of the car. 

LIGHT: Suitable artificial light is necessary on 
practically all passenger cars, and the incandescent 
electric lamp is really the only source of light that is 
satisfactory for this purpose. See Fig. 1. 

SAFETY DEVICES: Multitudes of devices have 
been designed to prevent elevator cars from falling in 
case the supporting cables fail, and many of these have 
been tried out in actual service. Some few of them 
still remain in use, and are more or less effective. There 
is but one type of safety device, however, upon which 
reliance should be placed, in passenger service;— 
namely, the clamp type, operated by a speed governor, 
and so designed as to grip the rails with a gradually 
increasing pressure. All passenger cars that are 
suspended by cables should be equipped with safety 
devices of this kind, whether they are of high or low 


PASSENGER CARS 


13 



Fig. 3.—A Speed Governor set directly over the Counter- 
we'Ght Runway. 

(The governor operates a clamp safety device to which it is connected, 
and which is located on the counterweight frame. This is in addition 
to the regular governor-controlled car safety, and the speed-limiting 
device on the driving machine.) 





14 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


speed. This refers to car devices only. There are also 
a number of special safety appliances that are reliable, 
and these are being installed to a considerable extent in 
addition to the regular car equipment. Some of the 
elevators that have been recently built are provided 
with three or even four distinct safety devices, independ¬ 
ently operated. Fig. 3, for example, shows a speed 
governor in use to operate a safety grip on the counter¬ 
weights, in addition to the regular safeties and the speed 
governing device upon the driving machine itself. 

The safety devices that are used upon elevators 
should be tested at regular intervals, when it is prac¬ 
ticable to make such tests without exposing the operator 
of the car to serious danger. 

EMERGENCY BRAKE: Under certain con¬ 
ditions it is advisable to provide an emergency brake 
which can be thrown into contact with the rails at the 
will of the operator. The importance of this feature 
will depend upon the speed and the height of travel. 
An emergency brake is shown in Fig. 13. 

EMERGENCY SWITCH: In systems that 

are run by electric motors, each car should be equipped 
with an emergency switch, to be opened by the operator 
under certain circumstances,—the machine brake 
being in this way applied and the power cut off. 
(See Fig. 13.) 


FREIGHT CARS 


15 


FREIGHT CARS 

ENCLOSURE: Cars that are used for trans¬ 
porting freight should be enclosed, on the three sides 
not used for the entrance, by solid sections of wood or 
sheet metal, securely braced and anchored, and not less 
than six feet high. Many freight cars, of course, have 
more than one entrance, and in such cases it is necessary 
to leave each of the entrance sides open, or to provide 
them with folding gates. In laying out building plans, 
however, it is usually possible to limit the number of 
entrances to one, and this is advisable, because it re¬ 
duces the exposure to a practical minimum. The 
proper housing of a freight car not only increases the 
safety of operation but also facilitates the handling of 
material. Fig. 4 shows a suitable enclosure as applied 
to a factory elevator. 

It is desirable, in many cases, to roof the car over 
with a wire screen. When this is done, the front half of 
the frame should be hinged at the crosshead so that 
it will be free to swing upward if it is fouled by any 
object at the landings, as the car descends. 

Sidewalk elevators should be built with a frame¬ 
work above the platform, strong enough to prevent 
injury to a persop standing on the platform, in case 
the hatch doors are locked when the car is run up; or 
else they should be provided with a device that will 
prevent the operation of the car while the doors are shut. 


16 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 4.—A Freight Car Enclosure op Desirable Type. 

(Three sides are substantially boxed in, to a height of six feet. In 
many cases it is also desirable to roof the car over with a heavy wire- 
mesh screen, hinged at the crosshead.) 












FREIGHT CARS 


17 


Many persons have been crushed between the car 
platform and the overhead doors, in consequence of the 
neglect of these precautions. The sidewalk opening 
may have hinged doors, or it may have a cover of the 
“pick-up” type. The latter form has some advantages. 
Compare Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. The cover or doors, 
when closed, should be flush with the sidewalk. 

CONTROL: The controlling device, which is 
usually a hand cable, should be equipped with a lock 
that will prevent the car from being moved while 
loading or unloading is in progress. This may also 
be secured by a padlock or its equivalent, to prevent 
the operation of the elevator by unauthorized persons. 
A convenient form of controller lock now on the market 
is fitted with a cylinder lock and key in addition to the 
usual finger latch. 

LIGHT : Artificial light should be provided in 
most cases, and particularly when the car runs in a 
closed shaftway; because natural light is not adequate 
during the entire working day, in all parts of the year. 
As in the case of passenger cars, electric lamps are best 
for this purpose. 

SAFETY DEVICES : A quick-operating device, 
which seizes the rails and brings the car to an abrupt 
stop, can be used to advantage upon freight cars, 
because they are run at a speed much lower than that 
which is common on passenger cars. Several forms of 


18 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 5. — Illustrating the Use of a Collapsible Gate at the 
Sidewalk Opening, Instead of a Bar or a Chain Guard. 

(Bars or chains are not suitable for protecting shaftways of this kind. 
Compare Fig. 8.) . I > 


















FREIGHT CARS 


19 



Fig. 6.—Showing He^vy Channel Arches Above the Platform 
of a Sidewalk Elevator. 

(An arrangement like this, or equivalent to it, is highly important 
when doors of this type or a similar type are used, unless an automatic 
device is emplo yed, to prevent the operation of the car while the 
doors are closed.) 









20 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 7.—The Most Approved Type of Sidewalk Elevator, as 
Seen with the Platform at the Street Level. 


(The hatch cover is picked up as the car ascends, and when the car 
goes down the cover is lowered into place again, so as to automatically 
close the opening and make a gate unnecessary. By the use of 
telescoping tubes at the comers, the cover is locked in place when the 
car is at the bottom of the shaftway, thus doing away with ordinary 
locks, and leaving the cover always free to lift when the car is raised. 
Compare Fig. 8.) 








FREIGHT CARS 


21 



Fig. 8.—The Installation Shown in Fig. 7, as Seen when the 
Car is Below and the Hatch Cover is in Place. 

(The chain that hangs across the front of the opening, from post 
to post, is not intended as a guard for the shaftway. It serves 
merely to prevent persons from standing on the cover.) 














22 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


grip are available, the design depending largely upon 
the material composing the guide rails. For wooden 
rails, a common form consists of double sets of cams, 
faced with teeth and set to make contact with opposite 
sides of the guide rails. For steel rails, one of the best 
forms employs corrugated rollers of hardened steel, 
which are lifted up to engage the face of the guide, and 
to jam between it and the shoes, in a wedge-shaped 
recess. Clamp safeties may also be applied with ad¬ 
vantage, particularly when the lift is high; but they 
are not considered essential for the average freight car. 
At present the gripping devices on freight cars are 
usually operated by a breaking-cable mechanism,— 
that is, by one that is released by the breaking of the 
hoisting cables, and actuated by a spring or weight, or 
both. This method of release is useless, however, 
when the car attains a dangerous speed through the 
failure of some parts of the driving machine. It has 
also proved unreliable when cable breaks have occurred 
at the driving machine end, the weight and drag of long 
lengths of cable extending from the top of the shaftway 
to the machine room in the basement being sufficient, 
in many cases, to prevent the operation of the safety. 
For these reasons we believe that a speed governor 
should be provided in all cases, to trip the safety device. 

It is quite as important to provide safeties on eleva¬ 
tors that are operated by hand, as it is to provide them 
on power-driven installations. The hand-driven ones 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


23 


are often subjected to severe strains, and when heavily 
loaded they may attain a dangerous speed. As they are 
ordinarily designed, the stripping of a few spur-gear 
teeth, or the spreading of shaft bearings, will allow the 
car to fall freely, unless it is caught by safety grips. 

Sidewalk elevators, except those of the plunger type, 
should also be equipped with safety devices when the 
total travel exceeds twelve feet. They are not commonly 
provided with emergency grips, but there is no good 
reason why they should not be so equipped, particularly 
when they run to sub-basements. On account of the 
moisture present in most basements, and the exposure 
of these installations to the weather when the doors are 
open, the cables and other parts are apt to deteriorate 
rapidly through corrosion. Under these special con¬ 
ditions the hydraulic plunger type of lift is particularly 
desirable, since it disposes of the safety device question, 
and, furthermore, its durability is not materially 
affected by moisture nor by corrosive fumes. 

PASSENGER ELEVATOR SHAFTWAYS 

ENCLOSURE: The shaftway must provide a 
safe place for the travel of the car,—excluding all outside 
material from its path, and protecting persons who may 
be at landings, or on stairways, from contact with the 
car or with the weights or any other moving parts. The 
shaft enclosure should be continuous from the bottom 
of the shaftway to the top, and it should be of fireproof 


24 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 9.—Approved Form of Shaftway Doors. 


(This form of construction, or its equivalent, should be adopted on 
all new installations. There is no recess under the floor saddles, and 
the sills do not project. When these doors are closed, a continuous, 
smooth, unbroken surface extends from the top of the shaftway to 
the bottom, in front of the car opening. These shaft way doors are 
wider than the opening in the car.) 



































PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


25 


construction. Wired glass may be used to advantage 
in connection with metal framework, the panes being 
limited in size to an area of five square feet each. The 
part of the shaftway opposite the car opening should be 
built without projections or recesses of any kind, and 
it should form with the shaftway gate an unbroken 
surface. Flush construction of this kind is shown in 
Fig. 9, the width of the shaftway doors exceeding that 
of the car opening. Grille work or other open work 
cannot be recommended for enclosures,—particularly 
for the front side. The shaftway must be kept clear of 
all piping, wiring, and shafting, not connected with the 
elevator. The hoisting machine should never be located 
in the pit. 

DOORS: These should be of Ijie sliding type, 
and preferably of metal. They should be carefully hung 
and substantially constructed with solid panels, but they 
should not be unnecessarily heavy. It is important that 
the doors be fitted on the inside with reliable locks that 
are accessible only to the operator, under ordinary con¬ 
ditions,—keys being provided for unlocking them 
from the outside in case of emergency. Too much 
emphasis cannot be laid upon the importance of pro¬ 
viding the best possible door and lock equipment. The 
possibilities that are involved in the opening of shaftway 
doors when the cars are in other parts of the shaftways, 
or in the movement of the cars before the doors are 


26 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


closed, are well illustrated by the large number of acci¬ 
dents that result from these sources. The danger of 
falling down a shaftway is commonly recognized in a 
general way, but the danger of personal mutilation is 
seldom appreciated. The conditions that prevail, when 
a car moves past an open shaftway entrance in either 
direction, are similar to those that would exist in a huge 
pair of shears; and a person caught between the station¬ 
ary parts and the moving ones is almost invariably 
killed by the shearing and crushing action. The acci¬ 
dents that occur in this way are too ghastly to dwell 
upon, but the frequency of their occurrence is a matter 
which deserves serious attention. It should lead to the 
adoption of more effective devices for their prevention 
than are now in common use. 

AUTOMATIC LOCKS: To prevent the car 
from being moved away from a landing before the shaft¬ 
way door is closed and locked, it is desirable that an 
automatic locking system be provided which will 
prevent the controller from being moved while the door 
is open; and the same device should also prevent the 
shaftway door from being opened until the car is at 
the proper level, with the controller lever centered. 
A device of this kind, to be reliable, must be simple 
in design, and it must be mechanically strong, and not 
subject to disarrangement nor to rapid wear. No 
parts of the mechanism should be exposed in the 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


27 


shaftway in front of the car opening, not only because 
this space should always be free from projections that 
might catch clothing, but also because it is important 
to make it impracticable, or at least inconvenient, for 
the operator to trip the lock by his hand or foot, or to 
render it inoperative in any way. The mechanism that 
is provided for each door should preferably be independ¬ 
ent of that at every other door, and it should be oper¬ 
ated by the regular movement of the door as it is opened 
or closed by the operator,—the door being always under 
his control. Many difficulties have been encountered 
in applying automatic locks, and many failures have 
been reported; but there are several designs which have 
now passed the experimental stage, and which may be 
depended upon for satisfactory service. We believe 
that the careful selection and application of automatic 
door and controller locks will do much toward reducing 
a very serious hazard. The temptation or inclination 
to start cars before the shaftway doors are closed appears 
to be too strong for human nature to resist, and any 
device which will serve to check this universal practice 
merits serious consideration from all owners and 
managers. 

LANDINGS: The approaches to the shaftway 
doors should receive particular attention. The floors 
at the landings should be made of material that will 
prevent slipping as passengers alight from the cars. 


28 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


Accidents from slipping have become more frequent 
since fireproof construction has come into general use, 
and in some cases it has been found necessary to cover 
smooth tile and mosaic floors with mats of rubber or 
fiber. Mats, however, must be kept in good condition, 
so that persons entering or leaving the car will not trip 
over them; and in any event they must be renewed from 
time to time. These difficulties may be overcome by 
the use of suitable material in laying the floors. For 
this purpose vitrified tile containing abrasive material, 
and non-slip treads laid flush with the floor surface, 
have been used with satisfactory results. (Fig. 10 
shows the latter form as used in a modern installation.) 
Rubber tiling may also be used, under certain conditions, 
as illustrated in Fig. 11. 

LIGHT: Sunlight is the best illuminant for the 
shaftway during the daytime, and windows should be 
provided for admitting it, when the arrangement of the 
building makes this practicable. The shaftway may 
also be lighted indirectly from the halls and corridors, 
when wired glass is used in the construction of the 
enclosure. 

COUNTERWEIGHT RUNWAY: Many seri¬ 
ous accidents have occurred in connection with counter¬ 
weights. In some instances sections of the weights 
have become disconnected and freed from the guides, 
falling down the shaftway upon the car and its occu- 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


29 



Fig. 10.—A Shaftway Enclosure of Good Design. 


(The special feature to be noted is the use of non-slip floor plates, set 
flush with the marble tile. The hallway is well lighted, from a 
source not shown, and the shaftway is lined with white enameled tile. 
The shaftway doors are also equipped with automatic locks, although 
these do not show in the engraving.) 
















30 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


pants. In others, persons have been caught between 
the moving weights and fixed portions of the building, or 
underneath the weights as they were descending to 
the bottom. A separate shaftway for the counter¬ 
weights, as shown in Fig. 12, is obviously the best 
solution of the problem. When the runway is located 
in the main shaftway, it should be enclosed by heavy 
sheet metal for a distance of 10 feet at both top and 
bottom, and no door nor other opening should be per¬ 
mitted in that portion of the shaftway past which the 
weights travel. 

CLEARANCE: The top and bottom clearance 
between the car and the fixed portions of the shaftway 
should be ample to allow for a reasonable amount of 
over-run beyond the normal limits of travel. The 
amount of clearance necessary will vary according to the 
car speed, the type of the elevator, and other matters; 
but it should not be less than four feet at the top and 
three feet at the bottom. It is hard to lay down a 
definite rule to be followed in all cases, but a fair esti¬ 
mate of the proper clearance may be obtained by 
adding to the minimum clearance limits just given, one 
foot of additional clearance for each hundred feet of car 
speed in excess of one hundred feet per minute. It is 
a common fault to provide too little clearance through 
oversight in laying out building plans. 

Between the edge of the car platform and the sills 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


31 



Fig. 11.—Illustrating the Use of Rubber Tiling, to Provide 
a Safe Footing in Front of a Shaftway Entrance. 







32 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


of the shaftway a clearance of from \ inch to lj inches 
should be provided. 

OVERHEAD SUPPORTS: The transverse 

beams at the top of the shaftway should be of wrought 
steel or iron, and they should rest upon substantial 
supports of steel or masonry. The support for the 
overhead beams is often made too light, and it seldom 
errs notably in the opposite direction. 

OVERHEAD GRATINGS: A grating or floor 
should be provided beneath the overhead sheaves, to 
support men who may be engaged in the care of the work¬ 
ing parts, and also to prevent loose material from fall¬ 
ing down the shaftway. To guard against displacement, 
each section of the grating should be securely bolted 
to the supporting members. As an additional safe¬ 
guard to prevent tools from slipping between the grate 
bars and dropping down, a wire mesh screen has been 
attached to the under side of the grates in some cases. 
When the hoisting machine is located at the top of the 
shaftway, a solid floor should be provided for it, in all 
cases. 

An entrance from the outside should always be 
provided at the top of the shaftway, so that it will be 
unnecessary to enter the space above the grating from the 
top of the car, or from underneath in any other way. 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


33 



Fig. 12.— A Separate Counterweight Shaftway. 

(By the use of a separate shaft way for the counterweights, all danger 
of the fall of weights in the main shaftway is eliminated, and an easy 
means of examining the weights and their cables is also provided. 
At each floor there are shaftway doors, similar to the one here shown 
open, and each of these is fitted with a cylinder lock, so that it can be 
opened only by the engineer.) 







34 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


LIMIT SWITCHES: A highly important feature 
of the modern electrical installation is the use of shaft¬ 
way limit switches to prevent the car from passing 
beyond safe limits at the top and bottom. These limit 
switches should form part of the equipment of all 
electric elevators. 

SIGNALS: Every passenger elevator is equipped 
with a signal system of some kind. In addition to the 
regular annunciators by which the operator is signalled 
to stop at certain floors, indicators should be provided 
at each landing, showing the approach of every car and 
the direction in which it is moving. Mechanical devices 
for this purpose are quite common, and lamp indicators 
are also extensively used,—a white light meaning that 
the car is moving upward, and a red light that it is 
moving downward. The service is greatly facilitated 
by the use of these car indicators, and safety of operation 
is also promoted, because prospective passengers have 
time to approach the proper door before the car arrives, 
and the tendency toward confusion or misunderstanding 
is much reduced. It is a matter of common knowledge 
that when a passenger boards the wrong car, he usually 
tries to get off again just as the car is being started. 

In high buildings it has been found to be important, 
and almost necessary, to equip each car with a tele¬ 
phone so that the operators can talk with the starter 
from any point in the shaftway. There are other cases, 
also, in which telephones are desirable. (See Fig. 13 .) 


PASSENGER SHAFTWAYS 


35 



Fig. 13. —Interior of a Modern Car, Showing Telephone, 
Emergency Brake, Emergency Switch, and Collapsible 
Gate Attachments. 






















































36 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


FREIGHT ELEVATOR SHAFTWAYS 

ENCLOSURE : Solid shaftway enclosures of 
fireproof material should be adopted for all freight 
elevators. The principal points in favor of such 
enclosures are:— 

(1) The guide rails are continuous, with no loose 
sections. 

(2) The guide rails may be more securely 
anchored. They are thus held in good alignment, and 
are better able to withstand the continual side thrust, 
and the stresses resulting from the operation of the 
safety grips in cases of emergency. 

(3) All loose outside material is kept from con¬ 
tact with the traveling car. 

(4) No folding hatch doors are necessary. 

A great many factory elevators have been installed 
to run through floor hatchways with no other protection 
than automatic folding doors, and this mode of opera¬ 
tion has been the cause of much trouble. The guides 
are cut at every floor, and a section is bolted to each of 
the folding doors. The wear and tear of constant use 
usually throw these swinging sections out of alignment 
sooner or later, and frequent adjustment is therefore 
necessary. If the guides are not kept in alignment, or 
if foreign material lodges between the doors and the 
guide posts, the travel of the car is interrupted and 
damage usually results. 


FREIGHT SHAFTWAYS 


37 


The danger of personal injury is also very serious. 
It is not unusual to find factory employees passing 
regularly back and forth over these hatch doors, and 
using them as common passageways. Even when they 
are not so used, many a serious accident is recorded, in 
which an unfortunate person is caught between the 
opening door and the post or some other fixed object. 
When doors of this kind are used they should be en¬ 
closed (except at the entrance side) by slats or solid 
partitions 7 feet high, and a semi-automatic lift gate 
should be installed at the entrance. (See Fig. 14.) 

Projections into the shaftway should be carefully 
avoided. Where floor timbers or other fixed beams 
exist opposite car openings, the use of bevel plates 
lessens the danger; but to be of any value these plates 
should be not less than 12 inches wide, and they should 
be set flush with the projecting edge, and at an angle 
with the vertical not exceeding 30°. 

Recesses of all kinds, opposite car openings, are 
likewise to be avoided. Window recesses should be 
covered by heavy wire-mesh screens, or vertical slats, 
set flush with the wall. 

GATES: Freight shaftways are sometimes en¬ 
tirely enclosed, and equipped with sliding doors having 
locks on the inside. This form of construction is 
recommended when new equipment is being provided, as 
it gives the best form of protection. The average 


38 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


freight shaft way, however, is more or less open, and is 
protected by gates of some form. The design most in 
favor is a counterweighted gate, which is lifted vertically 
by hand, and engages a supporting device when the car 
is at the landing. As the car moves away the gate is 
released and closes by gravity. “Semi-automatic” 
gates of this kind are preferred to automatic ones, 
because a gate that is purely automatic opens every 
time the car passes it, and this tempts employees to 
jump on or off the moving car as it passes the various 
floors. Gates should be not less than 5 feet high,— 
a height of 5 feet 6 inches is preferable,—and the 
frames should 'be filled in with closely spaced slats, 
spindles, or wire-mesh screen, to a point within four 
inches of the floor. Fig. 14 shows a gate of suitable 
form. In old shaftways, where dependence has been 
placed upon bar guards, lack of the necessary clearance 
sometimes makes it impossible to provide regulation 
lift gates. Fig. 16 shows how collapsible gates may 
be used to overcome this difficulty. 

Gates of special construction are necessary in order 
to properly protect the shaftways of garage elevators. 
Failure to retain control of automobiles and bring them 
to a stop before they strike the gate has been the cause 
of quite a number of accidents, the resistance offered 
by an ordinary gate being of no value when the gate 
is rammed by a heavy touring car. Extra substantial 
construction is necessary in such cases. Figs. 17 and 18 


FREIGHT SHAFTWAYS 


39 


show a design which has been successfully used, the 
actual gates here illustrated having twice prevented 
automobiles from falling down the shaftway. Heavy 
gates of this kind may be hung from tracks, or they 
may be supported by hinges as shown. The massive 
horizontal bar, which is the most essential feature, 
should be about twenty inches above the floor. 

The shaftways of sidewalk elevators are poorly 
protected, as a rule, although it is highly important, 
for the safety of the passers-by, to effectively guard 
openings of all kinds in sidewalks or streets. Suitable 
methods of guarding or enclosing these openings are 
indicated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. 

LIGHT: There should be plenty of light, natural 
or artificial, in and about freight shaftways, not only 
to ensure safety, but also to promote efficiency in the 
handling of materials. A dark shaft way is more serious 
in connection with freight traffic than it is with passen¬ 
ger traffic, because the cars themselves are not as well 
lighted as passenger cars. 

COUNTERWEIGHT RUNWAY, CLEAR¬ 
ANCE, OVERHEAD SUPPORTS, OVERHEAD 
GRATINGS, and LIMIT SWITCHES: The counsel 
given in connection with passenger elevators, re¬ 
garding these features, applies also to freight elevators. 
(See pages 28 to 34.) 


40 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 14. —A Semi-Automatic Lift Gate. 

(This gate, 5 feet 6 inches high, is used to guard the shaftway, and 
to keep persons off the folding hatch doors. A protection of this 
nature is desirable wherever automatic hatch doors are in use.) 










FREIGHT SHAFTWAYS 


41 



Fig. IS.—A Good Type of Freight Elevator Shaftway Gate. 

(This is covered, inside, by a sheet of canvas, which extends 15 inches 
above the top of the gate proper, and is supported by a light iron 
frame. This arrangement prevents persons from putting their heads 
over the gate, and it also excludes loose material from the shaftway.) 
























42 THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY J SI 


Fig. 16. —A Collapsible Gate. 

(This particular gate is installed where there is not sufficient over¬ 
head clearance for a lift gate, and fire doors prevent the use of a gate 
sliding along the outside wall. An overhead track supports the gate 
and prevents it from swinging inward, toward the car. A track may 
also be used for this purpose at the sill level, but it should not project 
above the face of the sill.) • « 



























FREIGHT SHAFTWAYS 


43 



p IG> 17 — a Shaftway Gate for a Garage Elevator. 

(The frame is of angle iron, and it is filled in with No. 10 gauge wire- 
mesh The heavy horizontal bar, which is made up of two 3-inch 
by 4-inch angle irons, bolted together with a core of wood between, 
serves as a barrier for automobiles moving toward the shaitway. 
Ordinary gates are almost useless on garage shaftways.) 


■ 









44 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 18 .—Garage Elevator Gates as Installed for a Double 

Shaftway. 

(These are provided, on the inside, with locks that are accessible only 
to the operators. Gates of this kind can also be arranged to slide 
on an overhead track, where the arrangement of the walls of the 
building will permit.) 





CABLES 


45 


SIGNALS: A definite system of signalling, to 
indicate when and at what floor the elevator is wanted, 
is an exceedingly important part of every equipment. 
Many accidents occur through the misunderstanding 
of signals, or the lack of signals. The giving of signals 
by shaking the operating cable, rapping on a rod, or 
shouting in the shaftway, should be discontinued, 
wherever used, and suitable electrical or mechanical 
devices should be installed. 


CABLES 

For all suspended elevators, both freight and pas¬ 
senger, at least two cables are required in each set of 
hoisting, car counterweight, and drum counterweight 
ropes. On hydraulic and traction outfits from three 
to six hoisting cables are used. Except for special 
purposes (as for counterweights on plunger cars), the 
best service is secured from cables of small diameter,— 
say 5/8 inch, 9/16 inch, or l/2 inch,—the number 
being increased, rather than the diameter, in order to 
provide the necessary strength. A very liberal factor 
of safety (certainly not less than 10) should be employed 
in estimating the hoisting cable requirements. Each 
cable in a set should be independently fastened, and 
special care should be taken to equalize the stresses 
§mong the sev£j-aJ pables composing the set. 


46 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


CABLE FASTENINGS 

There is considerable difference of opinion as to the 
best form of fastening to be employed. The commonest 
form is the cone-shaped socket, in which the cable 
strands are bent back in the center and the remaining 
space is filled with molten babbitt or zinc. This form 
has been modified by separating and tinning each of the 
wires and leaving them spread out in the socket but not 
turned back, depending on adhesion of the surrounding 
metal to the wires to prevent them from pulling through. 
When properly made these fastenings give satisfactory 
service in most cases, and they are neater in appearance 
than other forms. They are open to some serious 
objections, however, since it is usually impossible to 
tell, by examination, whether the work has been care¬ 
fully done or not. Many accidents have been recorded 
in which cables have pulled through such sockets, 
because of faulty workmanship at the time of installa¬ 
tion, or in connection with cable renewals, which are 
more or less frequent. Variations in load, and the 
quick stops and starts to which some cars are subject, 
result in a twisting action on the cable, and a continual 
fluctuation in the tensile stresses. This occasionally 
results in the fracture of the wires at the point where 
they meet with the fusible filling of the socket; and it 
is almost impossible to ascertain the actual condition 
of the cable at this point, without melting out the filling 
and removing the socket. 


SHEAVES 


47 


Another form of fastening is made by bending the 
cable around a thimble and applying several clips to 
clamp the end section to the main portion. The clips 
should be of proper shape, and they should be made of 
good material, and drop forged. The clip form of 
fastening, although commonly used on derricks, has 
not been so much employed on elevators; but it has the 
advantage of being easily applied, and it can also be 
readily examined at any time. No pocket is formed 
in which dust or chemicals may collect and start corro¬ 
sion, and the wires are not held rigid at some one definite 
cross-section, as they are in the “leaded socket”. 

Special patented fastenings may also be used with 
advantage for clamping the cable; but whatever form of 
gripping or socketing device is used, it is important that 
a competent mechanic be employed in applying it. 

The drum connection of the hoisting or counter¬ 
weight cables should be so made that two full turns, at 
least, will remain unwound when the car is at the ex¬ 
treme limit of its travel. 

SHEAVES 

At the present time there is little criticism to be 
offered in regard to the strength or the grooving of the 
sheaves that are being regularly installed, although in 
some of the older equipments they were made too light. 
It is common practice even at the present time, however, 
to provide sheaves so small in diameter that satisfactory 


48 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


service cannot be had from the cables that they carry. 
This is particularly true in connection with freight 
elevators. Cables cannot be expected to wear well and 
resist the bending action to which they are exposed, 
when they are run over small sheaves. The sheave 
diameter necessary to secure durability depends mainly 
upon the cable diameter, upon the material of the cable, 
upon the size of the wires and the method of winding, 
and upon the speed. The sheave diameters listed 
below are the minimum sizes that are recommended for 
use in average elevator service: 


Cable 

Diameter 

Sheave 

Diameter 

Cable 

Diameter 

Sheave 

Diameter 

l/4 in. 

10 in. 

9/16 in. 

36 in. 

5/16 

14 

5/8 

42 

3/8 

18 

3/4 

50 

7/16 

24 

7/8 

58 

1/2 

30 

1 

66 


Special care should be taken in mounting overhead 
supporting sheaves. They should preferably fit tightly 
on the shafts or pins, so as to obviate the use of keys and 
key ways, or of set screws. Variations in the size of the 
shaft are also to be avoided, because cracks are apt to 
develop where the size changes. We believe that 








COUNTERWEIGHTS 


49 


extreme precautions should be taken in this respect, and 
that no reduction in the diameter of the shaft should be 
allowed, even for bearings. Careless workmanship is 
always possible, even when proper fillets are provided; 
and for this reason it is desirable to eliminate shoulders 
entirely. 

It is important to put all the sheaves in good align¬ 
ment with one another, and with the fastening at the 
car cross-head. 

COUNTERWEIGHTS 

All counterweight sections should be securely 
bolted together; and it is important to avoid any arrange¬ 
ment in which loose weights with slotted ends are held 
only by rods which may buckle and release one or more 
of the sections. Headers built up of wrought steel plate 
with cast-iron sections between, held by four through 
bolts, are now being used for the better class of con¬ 
struction. 

MACHINE ROOM 

The machines that operate the elevators require a 
separate room in which they may be properly set and 
enclosed by fireproof partitions. Ample space is 
necessary, on all sides, to give easy access to the various 
parts for examination, oiling, and repairs. It is not 
unusual to find machines so located that proper main¬ 
tenance and care is almost impossible, the engineer 


50 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


being subjected to great inconvenience and danger if 
he attempts to clean, oil, and examine all the important 
devices. When located in the basement, the machine 
room should be wired for a sufficient number of lamps 
(including an extension cord and lamp) to supply 
plenty of light, when light is needed. The machine 
room should never be located underneath the shaftway, 
and the door to it should be kept locked, to exclude all 
unauthorized persons. 

MACHINES 

WINDING OR TRACTION - TYPE MA¬ 
CHINES : These machines should be direct-connected 
for passenger service, belt drives being adaptable only 
to freight machines. 

On all electric machines, brakes should be designed 
to release electrically when power is applied, and to grip 
mechanically when the power is cut off or the circuit is 
broken in any way. 

A reliable limit stop is important, to automatically 
cut off the power and apply the brake when the car 
reaches the safe limit of shaftway travel, either at the 
top or at the bottom. The limit stop mechanism should 
be constructed with solid link or gear connections, no 
sprocket chains being permissible. 

A slack-cable device, which will shift the operating 
device to a stop position, or break the electric circuit, is 
important for all winding machines, to prevent the 


MACHINES 


51 


hoisting cables from becoming slack under certain 
conditions. 

Machine speed-governors are desirable for fast¬ 
running equipments, and they will no doubt become 
common in all electrical installations. It is hardly 
necessary to say that the machines should always be 
set on good foundations, and that they should be 
anchored by heavy bolts. 

HYDRAULIC MACHINES: In addition to the 
regular operating valves, all hydraulic engines should 
have independent cut-off valves, to check the movement 
of the car at the top and bottom limits. 

All valves should be suitably enclosed and pro¬ 
tected, in an accessible location outside of the shaftway. 

In both horizontal and vertical hydraulic cylinder 
machines it is important that heavy anchor bolts be 
used, and that the foundations be sufficiently massive 
to remain undisturbed by the stresses to which they are 
subjected. 

All pressure tanks should be protected by one or 
more relief valves of sufficient size to prevent the pres¬ 
sure from increasing beyond the maximum allowable 
value, even when the pumps are working at full capacity. 
A factor of safety of at least five should be used in 
designing these tanks. 

A separate discharge pipe should be provided to 
connect each elevator with the discharge tank. 


52 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 



Fig. 19.—A Vertical Hydraulic Equipment, Properly Installed. 

(Channel-iron construction is used to connect the piston rods and 
the traveling sheaves. Guide shoes are bolted to the channel-iron 
frame at the top and bottom, and these engage the steel guide rails 
that are provided. Guards are also installed to prevent the cables 
from jumping out of the grooves of the sheaves.) 






























SPEED 


53 


On vertical cylinder machines the connection 
between piston rods and traveling sheaves should be 
made by channel iron construction instead of by forged 
straps, as forged straps have been found to be un¬ 
reliable. Cable guards should also be provided, where 
necessary, to prevent the cables from leaving the 
sheaves in case they become slack. (See Fig. 19.) 

SPEED 

A speed of 300 to 350 feet per minute is adequate 
for the average passenger elevator, and this limit should 
not be exceeded. Nothing is gained by a higher speed, 
when carrying local passengers and making stops at all 
floors. When running at low speeds, stops are more 
easily made and the supporting parts are spared a great 
deal of the strain that results from bringing high-speed 
cars to a quick standstill at landings. For express 
elevators running ten or more floors without stopping, 
higher speeds can be used to advantage; but it is unwise 
to go to extremes in this direction, and we believe six 
hundred feet a minute should not be exceeded. 

For each of the various types of elevators in com¬ 
mon use there are innumerable important mechanical 
details, which are matters of good design, good work¬ 
manship, and careful installation, and which depend 
ultimately on the experience and methods of the 
manufacturer. The purchaser of elevator equipment 


54 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


should consider the reputation , the facilities , and the 
experience of the builder, as well as the specifications 
that are submitted. He should understand that the 
construction of modern passenger elevators is a highly 
specialized line of work, which can be satisfactorily 
handled only by a well equipped manufacturer, making 
a specialty of building this class of machinery. The 
same is true of freight elevators also. 

OPERATION 

The operation of any elevator is a man’s job, and 
a man should be provided for that purpose. The safety 
of the equipment depends in large measure upon the 
method of handling, and boys or women should never 
be assigned to this work, nor be permitted to undertake 
it. Mature judgment is necessary not only in times of 
emergency, when something goes wrong, but also in 
preserving good order on the car and at the shaftway 
entrances, and in preventing crowding or overloading. 
A certain amount of experience is essential to the proper 
control of an elevator, and an inexperienced operator 
should never be placed in charge. For high speed 
service considerable time is required to develop a good 
operator, even after experience has been acquired in 
the handling of moderate speed cars, and some men 
never become proficient or reliable at this kind of work. 
Far less skill is required in running freight elevators, 
but it is nevertheless highly important to instruct new 


OPERATION 


55 


freight operators carefully, and to keep them for some 
time under the direction of reliable and experienced men. 

Aside from the question of safety, it is false economy 
to provide young, inexperienced operators in public 
buildings. The modern building manager considers 
his elevator men of great importance in the successful 
performance of the daily routine, and he endeavors 
not only to get good men, but also to keep them, and 
to make as few changes as possible. He realizes that 
these men are of value not only in their skillful manipu¬ 
lation of the controlling devices and in the safe handling 
of the traffic, but also in their acquaintance with tenants, 
in knowing the location of the various offices, in leaving 
tenants at the right floors, and in gaining good will and 
confidence in other ways. 

It is now commonly and almost universally 
admitted that passenger elevators should be run only 
by regular operators. The same principle applies to 
freight elevators also, though the extension of the idea 
to them may seem extreme to those who are accustomed 
to the rather familiar practice of leaving the freight car 
to be operated by anybody who has occasion to use it. 
The dangers involved in this practice, and the large 
number of fatal or otherwise serious accidents that 
result from it, are sufficient to convince anyone that a 
regular operator is quite essential to safety. Where the 
elevator is not kept very busy, the operator can some¬ 
times do the loading and unloading with advantage. 


56 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


In other cases, where the freight service is light, some 
particular employee who has had the needful instruc¬ 
tion and experience should be assigned to answer calls 
for the elevator, and to run it when it is needed. 

STARTERS: In office buildings and stores, where 
several elevators are operated side by side, it becomes 
important to provide reliable starters to have charge of 
the operators, to see that a suitable schedule is main¬ 
tained, and to prevent confusion or the overloading of 
cars. Men of good presence and considerable experi¬ 
ence should be selected for this work. 

One starter, located at the main floor, is ordinarily 
sufficient, but in large department stores it is advisable 
to have two starters on the main floor and one on each 
of the upper floors, in order to insure proper control of 
crowds, and to look after the safety of the women and 
children who make up the principal part of the traffic. 

CARE AND MAINTENANCE: A competent 
engineer to take care of the mechanical equipment is one 
of the most vital requirements for the safety of all con¬ 
cerned in elevator service, and one which receives 
far too little consideration, especially where but one or 
two cars are operated. The practice of leaving such 
important apparatus to the care of inexperienced men, 
who have no mechanical ability and no knowledge of 
elevator mechanism, cannot be too strongly condemned. 
A false impression seems to have gained a foothold, 


OPERATION 


57 


especially among owners and lessees of buildings where 
but one or two elevators are used, that the only atten¬ 
tion required is the liberal use of oil and grease, 
some “handy man”, clerk, or young operator being 
detailed to apply the lubricant. Cables become rusted; 
bolts get loose and drop out; safety devices become 
ineffective through corrosion, lack of adjustment, or the 
accumulation of gummed oils and dirt; motor commuta¬ 
tors, controlling switches, and wiring are neglected; 
valves and pistons are not kept properly packed; shaft¬ 
way doors and locks become defective; overhead bear¬ 
ings run dry; and many other important features are 
overlooked. It is not always practicable to have an 
engineer in constant attendance at small plants, but 
arrangements should be made by which such a man will 
call daily, see that all vital parts are in good working 
order, and make any repairs or adjustments that may be 
necessary. 

INSPECTION: Systematic inspections at regu¬ 

lar intervals have long been recognized as essential to 
safe operation. An inspection service of the highest 
order is furnished by The Travelers to its policy¬ 
holders, free of charge; and this service is valuable not 
only in connection with accident prevention, but also in 
promoting economy-of operation. 

INSTRUCTING THE PUBLIC: The elevator¬ 
using public is responsible for a considerable proportion 


58 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


of the elevator accidents that arise from carelessness, 
absent-mindedjiess, and ignorance of the dangers that 
are involved in the disregard of the reasonable regula¬ 
tions that experience has suggested. Messenger boys 
delight in running along hallways, and sliding or diving 
for open shaftway doors that are about to be closed, or 
opening doors that are not securely locked; and business 
men and women do not hesitate to violate, in a more 
decorous way, various important rules that are quite 
essential to safety. 

Regulations should be posted, whenever and where- 
ever needful, for the instruction and warning of the 
tenants and the general public; and these regulations 
should be strictly enforced. It will be easiest to enforce 
them in office buildings, where starters are employed; 
but they should also be carried out elsewhere, so far as 
their execution may be possible or practicable. 


CONTENTS 


59 


CONTENTS 

Introductory, 5. 

Passenger Cars: 

Enclosure, 7. 

Floor, 11. 

Control, 12. 

Light, 12. 

Safety devices, 12. 

Emergency brake, 14. 

Emergency switch, 14. 

Freight Cars: 

Enclosure, 15. 

Control, 17. 

Light, 17. 

Safety devices, 17. 

Passenger Elevator Shaftways: 

Enclosure, 23. 

Doors, 25. 

Automatic locks, 26. 

Landings, 2 7. 

Light, 28. 

Counterweight runway, 28. 

Clearance, 30. 

Overhead supports, 32. 

Overhead gratings, 32. 

Limit switches, 34. 

Signals, 34. 

Freight Elevator Shaftways: 

Enclosure, 36. 

Gates, 37. 

Light, 39. 

Counterweight runway, Clearance, Overhead supports, Over¬ 
head gratings; and Limit switches, 39. 

Signals, 45. 

Cables, 45. 

Cable Fastenings, 46. 


60 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 


Sheaves, 47. 

Counterweights, 49. 

Machine Room, 49. 

Winding or traction-type machines, 50. 
Hydraulic machines, 51. 

Speed, 53. 

Operation, 54. 

Starters, 56. 

Care and maintenance, 56. 

Inspection, 57. 

Instructing the public, 57. 


ELEVATORS 


NOTES 



















62 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 

















ELEVATORS 


63 




























SEP 15 1913 


64 


THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY 























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The Travelers In: 0 033 266 472©4 

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 

Makes a specialty of elevator inspection and engineering, 
and gives its patrons the benefit of years of 
study and experience. 


Its Inspections are the Best 

<J They are made at regular intervals, and very 
thoroughly. 

<5 They are made by men who are specially 
trained in this line of work. 

They are of the same NEW STANDARD 
type that has made The Travelers famous in all its 
engineering lines. 


STEAM BOILER INSURANCE 

is issued by 

The Travelers Indemnity Company 

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 





